Hydrosilation in high boiling natural vegetable oils

Abstract

An improved process is provided for the preparation of siloxane-oxyalkylene and siloxane-alkyl copolymer compositions via a hydrosilation reaction in the presence of high boiling point natural vegetable oils as the reaction solvent. The reaction solvent need not be removed from the block copolymer product, and indeed is beneficial to remain with the copolymer particularly when the copolymer is used as a surfactant for polyurethane foam formulations. Soybean oil and linseed oil are the preferred high boiling natural oil solvents when the copolymer product is to be used in the preparation of the surfactants for polyurethane foams. High resiliency polyurethane foam prepared with these natural oils present in the surfactant preparation afforded improved compression sets, wet compression sets and humid aged compression sets. Additionally, the use of the surfactants made with natural oils as a reaction solvent or consequently surfactants post diluted with natural oils when employed in the preparation of polyurethane foam afforded foams with greatly reduced amounts of "glass fogging".

Description

This invention relates in general to an improved process for the preparation of organopolysiloxane surfactants. In one aspect, this invention is directed to a process for the preparation of improved siloxanc-oxyalkylene copolymer compositions. In a further aspect, the invention is directed to siloxane-oxyalkylene and siloxane-alkyl copolymers and organosiloxanes that are suitable for use as surfactants in, for instance, polyurethane foam, coatings applications, or personal care products.The preparation of siloxane-oxyalkylence or siloxane-alkyl copolymers by the hydrosilation reaction of an organohydrogen siloxane and an unsaturated olefin hydrocarbon or polyoxyalkylene is well known and reported in the literature. The hydrosilation reaction is typically performed in a low molecular weight, highly volatile hydrocarbon solvent such as benzene, toluene or xylene so as to compatibilize the reactants and aid in transfer and filtration of the copolymer products, or to moderate the exothe...